THE CAUCUS; Texans Take Their Time

By RALPH BLUMENTHAL

Published: April 1, 2008

Do not look for clarity in the Texas Democratic delegate scramble any time soon.

With Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton leading Senator Barack Obama, 65 to 61, in delegates chosen proportionately in the March 4 primary, 67 pledged delegates were up for grabs in 284 party conventions last Saturday. But pledged to whom?

The results have barely begun to trickle in. ''Texas Democratic Party rules don't provide for a reporting system,'' a party spokesman, Hector Nieto, said. ''They'll be submitting information by regular mail and by hand starting this week or next.''

Anyway, Mr. Nieto said, the allegiances of those chosen will not be clear or official until June 5 to 7 at the state Democratic convention in Austin. Along, of course, with the choices of 35 unpledged delegates, 32 superdelegates and 3 appointed by the state party chairman.

If it sounds confusing, it is.

The candidates are competing for a total of 228 delegates. After the 126 pledged delegates chosen in the primary (don't ask how), Democratic voters caucused to select other delegates to the county and Senate district conventions last Saturday. They in turn selected the 67 delegates whose commitments are as yet unknown.

''It's a system created in the '80s,'' Mr. Nieto said. ''It doesn't lend itself to a 24-hour news cycle.''

But there was some method to the madness, Mr. Nieto said: ''It forces presidential campaigns to stay in Texas.''